Savannah was lost.
Not only that, but she was also still tipsy, with the aftermath of six games of beer pong sloshing around in her stomach like the ocean on a windy day. She felt slightly nauseous,  her head ached, and the bridges of her feet groaned in rebellion to her stilettos. Worst of all, she was alone, without a clue of the whereabouts of the friends she had partied with. Given the fact that they were all now sophomores in college, enjoying a leisure summer away from school, she assumed they had snuck away with some scumbags , fueled by vodka and testosterone.
Besides, Savannah did not have time to think about boys. She had only recently began forgetting about her ex-boyfriend, James, who had heartlessly dumped her outside of a Circle K after one year of dating. She had not loved him, but had enjoyed his company and the connection they shared, not to mention the anniversary gifts.
But now was not the time to reminisce on the past. Now was the time to focus, and get home alive, to her sleeping parents and younger brother, Thomas, who was either smoking pot or listening to rap music- most likely both.
She considered plugging the home address into her phone, but that would require diverting attention away from the road, and she was not ready to take more chances. So she kept two hands on the wheel and progressed forward, twisting and turning through suburbs until she found herself on a long, windy road.
Her headache quickly became a migraine, so she rolled down the windows and clicked on the radio, which played off beat jazz music, the kind you would hear in an elevator. As she drove, she looked at the lines dividing the road, their curves smooth and their color a fading yellow. It soothed her, to see such a steady and straight pattern, and by the time she looked up the scenery had changed. All around her were woods, complete with thick trees and the scent of pine.
The temperature, too, had dropped and Goosebumps rose on her flesh, consuming every inch of skin within seconds. But despite the breeze, she kept the windows down, though she could not figure out why. She was uncomfortable, perhaps now more than ever, yet suddenly at peace.
Then the radio cut out.
Static roared from the speakers, causing her to jump and her heart to race, and she felt herself sober up slightly more. She fiddled with the dial for a minute, which resulted in muffled cursing and disappointment, and she thought, no reception out here, that's what happened. Wherever "here" exactly is... her mind trailed off and her Goosebumps sharpened.
Savannah then decided that activating the GPS was now necessary, and began to realize the degree to which she was lost. Yet, for some strange reason, that was not what panicked her. It was the woods, it looked monstrous, towering above her, consuming everything within sight. Now, as silence took the place of the jazz music, she could hear sounds from the woods: leaves shuffling, crickets chirping, someone screaming....
No, it was not a scream. It was an animal, probably howling, declaring its dominance to the forest at an impressive 2:32 a.m.. A shiver trickled down her spine, nonetheless, and she found her theory less than convincing. Savannah grabbed her phone, which was sticky with alcohol and running on 18% battery.
No reception.
Ok, now is the time to panic she thought, as her clouded mind dreamt of other ways to find home. The only thing she could think to do was turn back around the way she came, but what if she ran out of gas? What if she made a wrong turn? What if the forest closes in?
Again, she dismissed such a silly thought. She was now shivering from the cold evening wind, which had blown her hair all around. She reached a steady 50 mph and went no faster, or slower, as the journey home continued. Savannah found herself looking out into the endless darkness, observing the trees and bushes with the help of her headlights. They illuminated only small portions at a time, which quickly whisked by, and others took their place.
This habit of observation put her in somewhat of a trance, and soon she found herself not caring if she got home or not. The forest, it engrossed her completely, and it appeared so full of mystery and life. She wanted to pull over, remove her clothing, and run free forever. She wanted to be part of the soil, one with the Earth, forever.
These are drunk thoughts, they mean nothing, she told herself, but Savannah knew better. She was no longer drunk. What she was experiencing was beyond such a simple sensation. It stimulated her deepest self, consumed her whole mind, begged for her entire soul. Suddenly, she hit a bump in the road, which jolted the car upwards. Her head was slammed backwards and she felt reality wash over her. Her mouth felt dry, her head ached, and she was so ---- cold.
Whatever had just taken control, Savannah did not like, so she forced her eyes away from the forest. But then she heard it. A loud scream, coming from her right, right outside the window.
Savannah screamed, too, and peeled her eyes off the road. She looked to the right, which was slightly lit up by her headlights, and stared into the red eyes of someone, something, which was moaning. Its mouth was long and gaping, and it droned a horrible sound, which became so loud she had to cover her ears.
But without her hands on the wheel, the car lost control and sped into a tree, crashing with such force that Savannah flew straight forward. Glass shattered all around her and she collapsed in a bloody heap.
She felt emotions beyond pain, and beyond fear, as she lay motionless wondering when she was to greet the Grim Reaper. But before she completely passed out, Savannah heard a sound even more terrifying than the deadly scream.
Coming from her totaled car was the gentle hum of jazz music.